Top Leadership Traits – Positive and negative
What are the top traits we look for in our leaders?
While looking for some material for a forthcoming leadership development programme I discovered an interesting article and results on top leadership traits. In 2006 in Minneapolis Police Department undertook some research looking at Leadership Traits in their officers. This data was analysed and rated by frequency of mention by other officers. The top 15 positive and negative mentioned are listed below.
While not all of us work in a police force, I am sure that having looked through the list (top positives)Â many of us would include much of these in our list of preferred leadership traits too. I for one have been frustratd by leaders that exhibited some from the top negative traits – have you?
Top Positive Leadership Traits
- Fair – No favouritism, evaluations (appraisals& reviews)
- Knowledge – Of job, smart, on policy & procedure, what’s expected of them
- Honesty
- Communication – Open, Effective, Know When To Speak, Good Interpersonal Skills
- Decisions – Make one, quick, good, tough, does right thing,
- Involve Troops (people), standing behind decisions, shares it
- Consistency
- Experience – street minimum 5-10 years, earned their way
- Support – growth, officers, personal & professional develop
- Trust – Believe in officers, is trustworthy themselves
- Integrity
- Common Sense
- Flexibility
- Respect – Treats officers (teams/ people) with, earns it themselves
- Approachability
Top Negative Leadership Traits
- Micro Manage – Does
- Favouritism – Friendship first, plays them
- Selfish – Self centred, self serving, self promoting
- Indecisive – Second guessing
- Inconsistent – Shift priorities
- Knowledge – Pretend to know everything, never wrong, not of job, know-it-all
- Decisions – Not making any, emotional, inability to make any
- Vindictive
- Communication – Poor, non communicator, dishonest
- Hypocritical – “Do as I say, not as I do”
- Close Minded – Not open to suggestions, won’t change mind
- Dishonest
- Discipline – Selective, more concerned with, group vs. individual, double standards, name calling, not recognition, heavy handed
- Inexperience
- Responsibility – Not taking, shirks it
Taking the time to ask our people what traits they like and dislike in their leaders can be a valuable first step in any leadership development programme.
© RapidBI.com This article has been written by Mike Morrison or one of the RapidBI team. We welcome your comments. If you wish to use any text you are free to do so, however please credit us and link to our site.
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Related posts:
- Eight negative leadership characteristics
- Four traits of transformational leaders
- Five foundation traits of leadership
- Five dominant leadership traits
- Five myths of leadership
23 Responses to “Top Leadership Traits – Positive and negative”
Trackback from HRstalker (Ruth Estwick)
Time November 8, 2009 at 18:31
Great, but how do you ensure these traits exist? RT @rapidbi:New Blog post:Top Leadership Traits –Positive and negative [link to post]
Trackback from paulusthebrit (Paul Allen)
Time November 8, 2009 at 18:32
Leaders read and take note RT @rapidbi New Blog post: Top Leadership Traits – Positive and negative [link to post]
Trackback from EricEmbree (Eric Embree)
Time November 8, 2009 at 18:37
New Blog post: Top Leadership Traits – Positive and negative [link to post] (via @rapidbi) #comm250
Trackback from surveyemployees (Mike)
Time November 8, 2009 at 18:57
RT @rapidbi Top Leadership Traits – Positive and negative: What are the top traits we look for.. [link to post]
Trackback from seanrnicholson (Sean Nicholson)
Time November 8, 2009 at 19:06
Reading: Positive & negative traits of organizational leaders [link to post] < --Must read for managers!! #hr
Trackback from efficiencycoach (Heather Townsend)
Time November 8, 2009 at 19:22
RT @rapidbi Top Leadership Traits – Positive and negative [link to post]
Trackback from neilryder (Neil Ryder)
Time November 8, 2009 at 19:33
New blog from friend Top Leadership Traits – Positive and negative [link to post]
I hope it is useful
Trackback from ahoojas (Rajeev Ahooja)
Time November 8, 2009 at 20:43
Top Leadership Traits – Positive and negative [link to post] #leadership
Trackback from JohnFMoore (John Moore)
Time November 8, 2009 at 20:45
RT @ahoojas: Top Leadership Traits – Positive and negative [link to post] #leadership | Very good
Trackback from KentBottles (KentBottles)
Time November 8, 2009 at 20:47
RT @JohnFMoore: RT @ahoojas: Top Leadership Traits – Positive and negative [link to post] #leadership | Very good
Trackback from ahoojas (Rajeev Ahooja)
Time November 8, 2009 at 21:25
Thx 4 RT @KentBottles @JohnFMoore: RT @ahoojas: Top Leadership Traits – Positive and negative [link to post] #leadership | Very good
Trackback from MLMLeadership (MLM LeadershipCourse)
Time November 9, 2009 at 02:43
Top Leadership Traits – Positive and negative » RapidBI-Mgt … [link to post]
Trackback from estherpatrick (Esther Patrick)
Time November 9, 2009 at 08:33
RT @duncanbrodie RT @rapidbi: NEW Blog article- Top Leadership Traits – Positive and negative [link to post]
Trackback from duncanbrodie (Duncan Brodie)
Time November 9, 2009 at 09:31
RT @rapidbi: NEW Blog article- Top Leadership Traits – Positive and negative [link to post]
Trackback from ylngui (Ngui Yuen Loong)
Time November 9, 2009 at 09:32
Good stuff. RT @rapidbi: NEW Blog article- Top Leadership Traits – Positive and negative [link to post]
Comment from Julia
Time November 9, 2009 at 09:58
Great list of traits. Today I am reading John Maxwells book the 21 Irrefutable Laws of leadership. He talks about Influence being another trait that all leaders have. We can all strive to become better leaders.
thanks for the list.
Comment from rapidbi
Time November 9, 2009 at 14:25
Hi Julia, is influencing a skill or a trait?
Mike
Trackback from spencermains (Spencer Mains)
Time November 9, 2009 at 22:41
RT @tweetmeme Top Leadership Traits – Positive and negative [link to post]
Comment from Betty
Time November 23, 2009 at 04:01
Great article! It’s important to understand what works and what doesn’t work…I especially like to the list of “Top Negative Leadership Traits”. We can learn from others experiences. I’m reading an interesting book about leadership called
“Words for Warriors” by Ralph Puckett. Solid story-telling combined with hard-earned wisdom makes this one of the best books on leadership that I have ever read. It contains the crucial elements of leadership success and the tools to inspire others to achieve superior results.
Here’s a link if you’re interested: http://www.ralphpuckett.com/words-for-warriors/
Trackback from duncanbrodie (Duncan Brodie)
Time December 5, 2009 at 10:37
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Time December 5, 2009 at 11:31
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Time December 5, 2009 at 11:32
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Trackback from autumnanderson (autumnanderson)
Time November 8, 2009 at 17:51
Twitter Comment
Rt @rapidbi New Blog post: Top Leadership Traits – Positive and negative [link to post] Very comprehensive list of traits – thanks!
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